Thumana’s transformation, the worst-hit area following the devastating earthquake on November 2019, is gradually taking its final shape. Work is in full swing to construct the single-family homes, along with the multi-family apartment complexes. “Thumane will become the newest modern city in the Balkans, of course a small one by size, following the devastating earthquake,” the Reconstruction Minister Arben Ahmetaj said as he accompanied the Prime Minister during an inspection visit to the construction site where the new town is being built from scratch.

“Local residents have started to do their evening walks to this construction site, which has somehow become a sort of a pilgrimage site for them,” Ahmetaj added.

All quake-hit families in Thumane are expected to move into their newly-built homes in the fall of 2021. Meanwhile, construction of the new school has completed. “The beauty of it all is that fantastic common community spaces will be created in the area between the new homes and the apartment buildings,” PM Rama said commenting the project.

A total of 155 single-family homes and 278 apartment units are being built in Thumane, whereas a new school is ready to welcome back it pupils and teachers. The project completed in eight months only.

“It was around eight months ago when we presented here the 3D design of this whole project, which is now a tangible reality in less than eight months. These schools due to reopen their doors to the first group of children under the Albania 2020-2030 education policy, with English language and elementary IT classes to be taught starting in first grade in elementary school. The project is designed that children speak English fluently in ten years’ time and gain basic and advanced insight into the IT world in view of the future digital society,” Ahmetaj said.